12 December 2007

"Decadence in modern mass multicultural societies begins at a moment when there is no longer any discernable meaning within society. Meaning is destroyed by raising individualism above all other values because rampant individualism encourages the anarchical proliferation of egotism at the expense of the values that were once part of the national heritage, values that give form to the concept of nationhood and the nation state, to a state which is more than just a political entity, and which corresponds to a particular people who are conscious of sharing a common heritage for the survival of which they are prepared to make personal sacrifices.

Man evolved in cooperating groups united by common cultural and genetic ties, and it is only in such a setting that the individual can feel truly free, and truly protected. Men cannot live happily alone and without values or any sense of identity: such a situation leads to nihilism, drug abuse, criminality, and worse. With the spread of purely egotistic goals at the expense of the altruistic regard for family and nation, the individual begins to talk of his rights rather than his duties, for he no longer feels any sense of destiny, of belonging to and being a part of a greater and more enduring entity. He no longer rejoices in the secure belief that he shares in a heritage which it is part of his common duty to protect - he no longer feels that he has anything in common with those around him. In short, he feels lonely and oppressed. Since all values have become strictly personal, everything is now equal to everything; e.g., nothing equals nothing."

Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft: A sociological view of the decay of modern society, Alain de Benoist

11 December 2007

It was a summer morning and a warm breeze blew through the meadows and hedgerows. There was activity on the river bank. Rat and Mole were busy messing about in a boat on the river. As usual, their friend Toad was in an agitated mood. His bespoke Anderson & Shepherd Tweed suit was more rumpled than usual. He nervously paced back and forth, his Crockett & Jones Handgrade Belgravia suede brogues producing a clip-clop clip-clop clip-clop on the little dock. Toad was upset.

"Wuddup dawg?" asked Rat.

"Check it yo," said Toad, or T-Unit as he was known on the street. "I was jus' walkin` to dat bitch party in Compton place and was listenin` to ma ice-pod, minding my own business and that’s when these 3 niggaz went up to me trying to snatch ma pod and money and I said, “No, ah` ain’t givin` ya` my shit.” Then a hooptie passed shootin at me and that’s when they shot me in da face. I tried to hide behind a Cadillac Eldorado but a bullet got me in da face, by my cheek."

"Shit dat's whack," said Rat.

"Fo sho," said Toad. "Then some people I knew came out from an alley wid a .22 to shoot da people that tried to jack me. But they ran away and one uh da people that was wid dem was still dere so my homeys grabbed him and asked me: “Was dat him? Ya want me kill dis motherfucker right now?” I said, “No, he dunn’t do ennything, da people that tried to jack me ran away.” So my homey let him go. Then he told me: “I’ll go walkin half way wid you.” So we walked and my homey kept on telling me: “Hurry up cuz ya gots `ta go to da hospital cuz` ya be shot and stabbed.” I was feelin dizzy and ma face felt numb. I dunn't believe ah gots shot."

10 December 2007

"I have found the ideal way to drink Burgundy. You must take a peach and peel it, and put it in a finger bowl, and pour the Burgundy over it. The flavour is exquisite. And the peach seems to exaggerate the happy Seraglio contentedness that old wine evokes..."

09 December 2007

Violence is life-giving. Our very existence results from aggression, from friction. War is life-affirming. Hitting-out is an attempt to enlarge one’s territory of being and to secure one's continuation. ‘Subject without confines.’ Pagans and terrorists understand this. Do we? Religion very possibly having run its course, and society having succumbed to decadence and rot, perhaps it is time to rediscover the ancient pagan virtues. The survival of civilisation requires the application of brute force. We need to rediscover our taste for power and for violence. Violence works.

04 December 2007

A recent snapshot taken whilst on a business excursion to Grand Cayman Island last summer. As an investment professional I am often required to attend meetings at the beach, in tropical locales, with drinks and attractive women in attendance. Such offshore locations call for lightweight suitings. In this photograph I am pictured wandering the beach in a disorientated fashion, after having ingested large quantities of Tanqueray and tonic with my clients. I am wearing a two-button, single-breasted Hickey Freeman suit in a lightweight tweed herringbone pattern, a Brooks Brothers broadcloth shirt with spread collar, and a Paul Stuart tie. The hat is the Kenya model from Locke & Co.. I am considering using galoshes next time in order to minimise the amount of sand infiltrating my Edward Greens.

03 December 2007

A recent photograph demonstrating the proper way to pair a Tweed jacket and Fair Isle vest. Not only is this the start of the Christmas season, when one's company is required at holiday gatherings, but more importantly it is the advent of the Tweed season, though I make it a habit to don the Tweed year round. In the photo above, I am pictured at a recent cocktail reception wearing a two-button, single-breasted Harris Tweed jacket from The Andover Shop, a Brooks Brothers repp tie, and widewale cords from Orvis. The star of the photograph, of course, is the Fair Isle vest in a Prince of Wales pattern from the Louise Irvine Shetland Hand-Knit Collection. Nothing says Young Fogey quite like Tweed and Fair Isle knitwear. Indeed the combination can be quite electrifying, especially, as I found out to my discomfiture, when blended with a large intake of Groot Constantia Gouverneurs Reserve 2005 and the presence of several nubile surf hotties. You will be relieved to know, my Tweed jacket and Fair Isle vest escaped unscathed.

02 December 2007

As you may have heard, I have decided for the time being to dispense with my bespoke Harris Tweed Boxer Shorts, as I have been plagued for the last few days by an alarmingly persistent case of itchiness and chaffing. I will keep you updated.